Condition responsive apparatus



Dec. 29, 1964 R. E. BELL ETAL 3,163,247

CONDITION RESPONSIVE APPARATUS Filed Feb. 28, 1961 17 sheets-Shen 1 NNWMMN Dec. 29, 1964 R. E. BELL ETAL 3,153,247

CONDITION RESPONSIVE APPARATUS med Feb. 2s, 1961 I7 sheets-sheet 2 INVEN TOR. ROB ERT E. BELL ATTORNEYS BY DONALD B. KENDALL MQWLW Dec. 29, 1964 R. E. BELL ETAL 3,163,247

CONDITION RESPONSIVE APPARATUS Filed Feb. 28, 1961 17 Sheets-Sheet 5 PRICE |55 /lso 5| L52 |53 SCANNER Y AMPL|F|ER CATE 2 MULTTPLTER 4 |57 /5 1 '36 SCAN AMOUNT wElCHT DETECTOR COUNTER COUNTER k k |59 |60 l5 T 8) PHOTO AMI'EITUSC? R SET PICK UP FHSTUER E l-Q l? INVENToRs.

ROBERT E. BELL BY DONALD B. KENDALL ATTORNEYS Dec. 29, 1964 R. E. BELL ETAL 3,163,247

CONDITION RESPONSIVE APPARATUS Filed Feb. 28, 1961 17 Sheets-Sheet 4 m O Rh O ATTORN EYS Dec. 29, 1964 R. E. BELL ETAL CONDITION RESPONSIVE APPARATUS 17 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 28, 1961 PEDESTAL INVENTORS'. ROBERT E BELL DONALD B. KENDALL a ATTORNEYS Dec. 29, 1964 R. E. BELL ETAL CONDITION RESPONSIVE APPARATUS 1'7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Feb. 28. 1961 l IV INVENTORS` ROBERT E.BELL Bg DONALD B. KENDALL ATTORNEYS Dec. 29, 1964 R. E. BELL ETAL 3,163,247

CONDITION RESPONSIVE APPARATUS Filed Feb. 28, 1961 17 Sheets-Sheet 7 l0 N l0 e D g5 gJ INVENTORS. In E ROBERT E. BELL f BY DONALD B KENDALL @IML wma# ATTORNEYS Dec. 29, 1964 R. E. BELL ETAL 3,163,247

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Dec. 29, 1964 R. E. BELL ETAL CONDITION RESPONSIVE APPARATUS Filed Feb. 28, 1961 1'7 Sheets-Sheet l2 TO EN Nl TN 1T R... wo B L O A R w m2. D t2. Y. wmv B omni o. NS. mm x mom mm zoo Qz Q24 502mm owmmwmm E .zaoo al m9. E -|1lil|.||||||||l|.. W f oz O E Q. m m 1| n om n Mmmm wc.. SJ Om] m/ NQ. mm 0 9... './NINNO womn |I. mme. O O52 53u53: mmzzw .l @z wzmm wm m zo zo Q. wzE n 29m; f nl' ONL H n ...429m MF4@ ATTORNEYS Dec. 29, 1964 R. E. BELL ETAL 3,163,247

CONDITION RESPONSIVE APPARATUS Filed Feb. 28, 1961 17 Sheets-Sheet l5 1 1 l S39 l 84| INVENTORS. ROBERT E. BELL B'Y DONALD B. KENDALL.

ATTOR N EYS Dec. 29, 1964 R. E. BELL ETAL 3,163,247

CONDITION RESPONSIVE APPARATUS Filed Feb. 28, 1961 17 Sheets-Sheet 14 y a INVENTOR.

' 7 ROBERT EBELL E BY DONALD B. KENDALL Ma Lm-- ATTORNEYS Dec. 29, 1964 R. E. BELL ETAL CONDITION RESPONSIVE APPARATUS Filed Feb. 28, 1961 17 Sheets-Sheet l5 'Q O I I I I 2R a l R26 I "0"... z lou-rPuT D U I Ne| L; I I I I I 2R2'1 2R29 a I l as I I I l INPUT FROM CONVERTER ZRIO 932# INFU I LATCH SOLENOID qLERIB LATCH SOLENOID INPUT mom 262 CONVERTER ssa CRB

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17 Sheets-Sheet 16 INVENTORS'. ROBERT E. BELL DONALD B. KENDALL 336 @wuwaw ATTORNEYS Dec. 29, 1964 R. E. BELL. ETAL 3,163,247

CONDITION RESPONSIVE APPARATUS Filed Feb. 28, 1961 17 .Sheets-Sheet 17 k 1 L3 sca sns 4 Kll Kll H R -4l Mcs oPc 42 366 305 BRS 3R? KI?q SWS 43 cz: K9 LRS K9 o 44 -47 3c? 48 K3 K9 (L sws -53 BY DONALD B. KENDALL ATTORNEYS ingk scale.

United States Patent 3,163,247 CNBETHN f; ESPNSEVE APEARTUS Robert Eel and Benatti lh. llendaii, Toledo, Unio, assignors to Toledo Scale Corporation, Toledo, (Ehio, a corporationiof @bio Filed Febai, 19st, Ser.. No. 92,233 Claims. (Ci. ITL-3) This invention relates to improvements in condition easuring and indication apparatus and will be particularly set forth and explained as applied to a weighting scale. i

Because ofthe time and possibility of error involved when human operators read the indication given by a condition responsive apparatus; such as a weighing scale, and manually record such indication it is desirable that such reading and recording be done by completely automatic means. It is furthermore desirable in many installations that the recording means be located remote 'from thekappara'tus. yIt is furthermore desirable in many cases that thepindication of thefcondition'responsive and indicating apparatus bei multiplied by `an arbitrarily-.selected factor. For example, if it is known that a particular material has a moisture content of two'kpercent it maybe desired to multiply the reading of a weighing scale by ninety-eight percent so that the net or dry weight of the materialA is the ligure actually-shown and recorded. An-

, other use involving'multiplication rby kan arbitrarily seaccordingto. the weight of that particular package and the price per unit'offweightrof the material. Stillanother arrasar "ice age elements to provide a gain in processing time, having a uniform operating cycle virtually independent of the weight of the package obtained through the use of photoeleetric means in collecting data and thus having' no vphysical attachment to the weighing means, having a check circuit to check the lcorrect operation of thesystem, having a motion detector'with a logic circuit to initiate cycles and speed operation of the system, and having various system interlock features to be described in detail hereinafter. A t

The invention consists in condition measuring and indicating apparatus having a movable condition responsive member along the path of which there extends a stationary chart having graduations which are variably eX- posed according to the position of such condition responsive member, said chart being read by photoele'ctric means to produce, lin correspondence with the exposed such use is in the countingiof small'similar pieces by 1 weightwherein the number of piecesv per unitoi weight is predetermined foreach class of piece and that number `is the arbitrarily selected factor, the resulting computed amount ybeing the number' of pieces in the lot ontheweigh- The principalfobjecty of the invention isr to'provide a condition measuringand indicating apparatus whichy is automatically capable-oi giving the complete indication ofthe weight 'or conditiomand it desired the product of such weight or condition multipliedby an arbitrarily selected'tactor,` either digitally or in printed torrnasQmay be desired. t i t l f A further object of the invention is to givethis digitaly or printed indication at a place remote 1 from y.the place of use of theapparatus it desired. -f v f lt is a further object "of this invention to provide an electronic computing scalewhich automatically issues a label, when "a package isplaced on the scale, ythe `labell tiiication numbers.

A stillfurther object is to provide an electroniccom-A puting scale having a sequential 'operation in'which a jnew weighing cycle may be initiatedbetore a printing operation concluding ya previous cycle is: completed.v rlfhat is, weight ,and valueinformation can be stored inthe computer in the'embodiment shown, yasw`ell as inthe printer.. 'This permits weighing andi computation for a new packagewhileithe ticket being primed for di@ 65 previous Package reducing 'the processing timefor each package.: K ,A .t Y

f Another object of this inventionrv is toprouide an elcc-y "tronic ycomputing scale having an interloclc preventing ascanning operation rom'kstarting Vduring a readout cycle. Still another vkobject ,of thisyinvention is yto, provide ya i digitaly electronic computingscale having multiple storchart graduations, a seriesof photoelectric impulsesrwla'ich are supplied to and counted by an electronic ycounting means, and the system by which all functions may be obtained automatically. f i i A peferred form of the invention is illustrateduin the accompanying drawings, in which: Y

kFGS. I and II are schematic bloclrV diagramsillustrating the general organization of theV equipment'jfor reading a condition responsive member of arcondition of the various electrical circuits utilized in motion detection interlocking;

FIG. Vis a'v schematic wiring diagram of a control circuit usedfor'detecting relative motion of the parts of the weighing scale;

FIG. VI is an` enlarged viewot scanning apparatus; FG. kVII is a fragmentaryschematic, Viewy yshowing the xed part and movable mask illustrated in'EIG. Vl;

n FIG; VIH is a schematic diagram of an amplifying circuit to be utilized with FIG. VH;

FCn IXy isa diagraml of-` awavefoi'm at aL selected s 'point in the apparatus of FIG. VIH.

fFIG. X is ay schematic diagram of an amplilierand i I pulse rshaper for applying pulses to a pulse generator or multiplier;

' t FIGVXI isa schematic diagram of apreferred form of pulse generatory and switching means arranged to eni ergize a plurality of ten point selector switches, one for each outputline; g s

' FlG. Xll is a fragmentary vertical sectional View of label ory ticket stri teedinf means;

FIG, Xlil' is ,an electrical wiring diagram showing the electrical operationof .the apparatus of FIG, XH;

f FiG. XIV atim'ing diagram. illustrating the sequence of events occurring during the operation ofthis invention; i 'Pi XV is ascliematic diagram of acdecade counter suitable for use in this invention; l z' FiGQ-XVH `is ali-ont elevational View showing comprising live indicia bearing drum members, four of which are stopped in indica-ting position;` i lTlG. XVlll is an obliqueview of one of the duplicate assemblies comprising. the readout meansy yshownin EEG. XV 1;* i* i PEG. XJi is a. block diagram of `an embodimentroi. y i, Acheck circuitry for use in thisv'invention; .t p anasvsemble/df; numerical displayy or printing readout device,

FIG. XIX is a fragmentary side elevational view with parts broken away showing one of the indicia bearing drum members and a rockable support lmember together with a circuit controlling .the indication of a count to the readout device from the counter;

FIG. XX is a diagram of brushes and a commutator7 mounted in the drum member, that are used in the circuit controlling the indica-tion of .a count;

FIG. XXI is a schematic diagram of certain ofthe components shown in block form in FIG. XVI; and

FIGS. XXII, XXIII, and XXIV are schematic diagrams of the master control and sequencing circuit of the invention.

Referring to FIGS. I and II there is illustrated in block schematic form an electronic computer scale embodying the teachings of this invention. The system consists of three primary units. First, there is the scale and scanner unit which includes a Weighing mechanism 91, a mtion` detector 92 and a scanner 9d. Secondly, `a computer is illustrated including a pulse Shaper-blocking oscillator section 9'7, -a multiplier 98, weight counters section 99, and value counters section 164. The last of the three primary units comprises a'readout printer which includes the readout circuits, a check circuit 100, and the printer 107.

A general description of `the operation of each of the components is deemed advisable las a preliminary so that the description of the detailed portions hereinafter may be more readily assimilated in the operation of the entire system. Y

The weighing mechanism 91 includes a scale chart having two sections, a weight portion in fractions of a pound decimal graduations and a separate column of a plurality of lines used in conjunction with the'motion detector. The weight portion of the scale chart is projected for visual indication. A scanner shutter or mask is mounted on a scale char-t lever. When a load is applied tothe cornmodity receptacle the shutter moves with the chart lever, exposing one line on the scanner chart for each unit of weightof load applied. The scanner`94 will not begin to. scan when a load is applied to the commodity receptacle until the weighing mechanism 91 comes to rest. This prevents erroneous weight readouts and is accomplished by the function of the motion detector @2. The motion detector consists of .a light source, a chart, a photocell, a

commodity receptacle would cause a projected weight indication or" two poun-ds and 200 lines of the scanner chart would be exposed by the shutter. The scanner light source scans the 200 exposed lines on the scanner chart projecting a ray of light through the chart onto the scanner photocell for each line on the chart exposed. The photocell converts each light ray into an electrical pulse which is coupled lto the input of the photo amplifier 95. Since the output of the photocell is quite small, the pulses are advantageously amplilied before being coupled to the `computer section. The purpose of the photo amplifier, therefore, is to provide the necessary amplication of the electrical pulses produced -by the photocell.

The scanner has two other functions. A iirst function is to create a reset pulse which resets the computer t0 zero. Secondly, a gate pulse is created to tell the computer when it is going .to start to scan and when it has completed the scan. t

The amplified pulses from the photo amplier 95 of the scanner are coupled via a lead to the blocking oscillator in the Shaper sub-chassis. The purpose of the blocking .oscillatorv is to convert or shape each pulse received into a pulse of short duration with a fast rise time. These shaped output pulses from the blocking oscillator are identical in amplitude, rise time and pulse duration. The output pulses are then coupled to the input of the multi- Y plier 98.

motion detector subfchassis and a relay. The cooperation of these 'primaryA components will be described hereinafter with the detailed description.

`When the scale mechanism is in motion, the constant light on the detector photocell is interrupted bythe lines of the motion detector chart. These interruptions or variati-ons in light on the photocell cause the photocellto produce an electrical pulse for each interruption or variation in light; This output is coupled to the input of the motion detector sub-chassis which, in turn, provides the proper voltage to energize the motion detectorl relay Vwhich is mounted in the control unit 93. As long as the scale mechanism is in motion and the detector photocell is providing an output the detector relay will remain energized and the scanner will not scan. When the scale mechanism comes to rest the detector photocell output drops, the de` tector relay is deenergized, and the scanner 94 will scan.

The scanner unit 94 converts the travel of the scale leversystem to electronic puls/es. These pulses are coupled to the `'computer section to provide Weight and value y computations. The scanner has `fourprirnary components as follows; a light source (which may be the same light source as usedffor the motion detection), a 'scanner chart having a plurality of lines where each line represents a decim-alfraction of apound, a scanner photocell and a photo amplifier. If the scale chart Were a 25 pound capacity decimal chart and a 2500 linerscarmer chart was utilized as being equal to the scale chart capacity, then each line on the scale cha-rt would represent .0l of a pound. Therefore, for example, a two pound load on the The multiplier 98 comprises ten `individual blocking oscillator circuits similar to the one in the shaper. The purpose 'of the oscillators is to generate ten output pulses for each pulse received from the Shaper. The lirst nine pulses are used for computing the value of the commodity and the tenthV pulse is presented to the weight counters to providel commodity Weight data. When a pulse from the Shaper is coupled to the multiplier input, the lirst blocking oscillator lires, creatingan output pulse similar to the first pulse. This pulse is then coupled to the second stage, causing it to lire. This output is then coupled to the third stage and so on until all ten blocking oscillators have fired. This is one method of producing ten outputv pulses for each input pulse. Y

The two gated vamplifiers of the Shaper section 97 have identical outputs. One output iis/coupled to the weight counters 99 for total weight data and theother to the computer check liip flop 160 located in the yreadout sec-- tion. This output is used as. part of the check circuitrydesignated generally. at 108. i

The four `Weight counters the outputs of which may beg. for example, denoting 10 pounds, 1 pound, .1 pound,` and .01 pound, are reset to zero just before the light source: scans the scanner Weight chart. `For each Weight line: scanned one pulse will be presented to the input of the` .01 decade counter. When ten pulses have been coupled A to this counter input, the` counter creates a carry pulse which is then coupled to the next counter. This accom-- plishes the carry 1 as inthe normal process of addition.. Ther .1 pound counter receives one pulse for every ten' pulses fed into the .01 pound counter. Eventually, after' receiving ten pulses ror counts from the .01 counter, the 0.1 counter also creates a carry pulse which is coupled; to the 1 pound counter. The output of each decade counter is takenvfr'om the counter on `eight Wires. Eachfy output is coupled to its corresponding indicating wheelin the readout section.

The function of theY diode matrix 102 is to` organizethe output'of lthe vmultiplier blocking oscillators yso that theproper number of pulses will be .present at-each contact` point of the price selector switch boards 103 for each weight pulse. Forexample, if av one pound load is placed.

on ,the `commodity receptacle, the scanner will scan one hundred exposed lines on the scanner chart.4 The scanner photocell output will be one hundred pulses. These one 

1. IN A SYSTEM FOR WEIGHING, COMPUTING AND PRINTING A RECORD OF THE WEIGHT AND VALUE OF EACH OF A PLURALITY OF SUCCESSIVELY WEIGHTED LOADS, THE COMBINATION OF A SCALE INCLUDING A WEIGHING MECHANISM ADAPTED TO BE DEFLECTED AWAY FROM A ZERO REFERENCE POSITION IN PROPORTION TO THE WEIGHT OF A LOAD APPLIED TO THE SCALE TO A BALANCE POSITION CORRESPONDING TO SAID LOAD; COMPUTER MEANS FOR COMPUTING AND STORING THE VALUE OF EACH WEIGHED LOAD; MEANS FOR MEASURING SAID DEFLECTION AND TRANSMITTING SAID MEASUREMENT TO SAID COMPUTER; MEANS RESPONSIVE TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF SAID BALANCE POSITION FOR INITIATING THE OPERATION OF SAID MEASURING AND TRANSMITTING MEANS; READOUT MEANS FOR STORING SAID VALUE FROM SAID COMPUTER STORAGE INCLUDING PRINTING MEANS FOR PRINTING A RECORD OF SAID VALUE; AND CIRCUIT MEANS RESPONSIVE TO THE PRINTING OF A RECORD OPERATIVE TO ACTUATE INDICATING MEANS UNTIL SAID PRINTED RECORD IS TAKEN. 